'Don't dilute your vision, be bold!'
...says well-known drummer Virgil Donati, who was in town for a musical extravaganza
One of the renowned professional drummers in the world, Virgil Donati, was in town recently to give Mumbaikars a musical treat of a lifetime. And if that was not enough then you had to watch him give a rocking performance with guitar guru Allan Holdsworth.
The Virgil Donati band comprises of Austin Peralta (on piano), Anthony Crawford (bass player), Allan Holdsworth and Virgil himself. Leading from the front, the Australian drummer says, "The line-up that I have brought to Mumbai is very special. Two of LA's emerging hot shots and Allan Holdsworth is simply a living legend on the guitar." Having already performed thrice before in Mumbai, the drummer is in awe of the Indian audience, "Most artistes enjoy playing for an audience that shows. This helps the exchange of energy, and that's one thing I like about Indian audiences. They are always quick to react."
Virgil is all praise for music composer Sandeep Chowta, who arranged for the Virgil Donati and Allan Holdsworth concert. "We have been close friends since my first visit as a member of the Bunny Brunnel & the Jazz Allstars in 2006. Since then, Sandeep and I have been working on a various projects together. One very important project that we have decided to put together was a band comprising of two other American musicians along with one other Indian musician. We were primarily working on performing some of Sandeep's famous Bollywood hits with a twist. The band was called One For the Road and was scheduled to launch in June this year. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, we never made it in June and have been unable to find an alternate date," he says.
Lastly, the talented musician advises young drummers to apply new ideas and be bold. "We must constantly renew our musical ideas. A lot of emphasis is placed today on being accessible, but in retrospect, all the interesting and great works of art have always been created in an uncompromisingly modern language. It's a creative necessity to move forward. Don't dilute your musical vision. For the integrity and progress of our art form, I feel that it is the musicians' absolute responsibility to play new music," he smiles.
...says well-known drummer Virgil Donati, who was in town for a musical extravaganza
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One of the renowned professional drummers in the world, Virgil Donati, was in town recently to give Mumbaikars a musical treat of a lifetime. And if that was not enough then you had to watch him give a rocking performance with guitar guru Allan Holdsworth.
The Virgil Donati band comprises of Austin Peralta (on piano), Anthony Crawford (bass player), Allan Holdsworth and Virgil himself. Leading from the front, the Australian drummer says, "The line-up that I have brought to Mumbai is very special. Two of LA's emerging hot shots and Allan Holdsworth is simply a living legend on the guitar." Having already performed thrice before in Mumbai, the drummer is in awe of the Indian audience, "Most artistes enjoy playing for an audience that shows. This helps the exchange of energy, and that's one thing I like about Indian audiences. They are always quick to react."
Virgil is all praise for music composer Sandeep Chowta, who arranged for the Virgil Donati and Allan Holdsworth concert. "We have been close friends since my first visit as a member of the Bunny Brunnel & the Jazz Allstars in 2006. Since then, Sandeep and I have been working on a various projects together. One very important project that we have decided to put together was a band comprising of two other American musicians along with one other Indian musician. We were primarily working on performing some of Sandeep's famous Bollywood hits with a twist. The band was called One For the Road and was scheduled to launch in June this year. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, we never made it in June and have been unable to find an alternate date," he says.
Lastly, the talented musician advises young drummers to apply new ideas and be bold. "We must constantly renew our musical ideas. A lot of emphasis is placed today on being accessible, but in retrospect, all the interesting and great works of art have always been created in an uncompromisingly modern language. It's a creative necessity to move forward. Don't dilute your musical vision. For the integrity and progress of our art form, I feel that it is the musicians' absolute responsibility to play new music," he smiles.
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